This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art. This section also provides a general summary of the disclosure, and is not a comprehensive disclosure of its full scope or all of its features.
Motion sickness most often results from a sensory conflict between inputs from the visual and vestibular systems. In conventional vehicles, drivers themselves are generally not susceptible to motion sickness because, by looking at the road and controlling the vehicle, they experience no such conflict. On the other hand, a substantial proportion of passengers who attempt to perform reading and other activities, do experience motion sickness. For example, about 50% of adults get motion sick, at least occasionally, when reading a book in a moving vehicle. It is important to note that motion sickness will be of even greater concern with autonomous and self-driving vehicles, because all persons aboard will now be passengers.
It is known that having moving lights on the border of a display for on-board video viewing substantially reduces the extent of motion sickness. However, this countermeasure is display specific—it is tied to the video monitor, and it stops being effective when one looks away from the monitor. Furthermore, when performing tasks without video screens (such as reading a book), the countermeasure is not applicable.
According to the principles of the present teachings, a universal solution to motion sickness is provided as it remains constantly in the field-of-view of the person. It involves presenting, in the visual periphery, lights or similar visual stimuli that are timed in such a way that the apparent movement of the stimuli mimics (in terms of velocity, acceleration, lateral movement, vertical movement, yaw rate, roll rate, pitch rate, or any other parameter relating to motion) the visual input one would receive if one were to look outside the vehicle. In addition to the specific vehicle motion, simulation of reference points outside the vehicle, such as an artificial horizon, may also be presented with this array of stimuli.
It should be understood that the principles of the present teachings have a wide range of applicability and can be applied to any passenger compartment of a moving vehicle or device where visual perception of natural cues may be limited. These principles can be incorporated in to any one of a number of devices or interiors, such as, but not limited to, the rim of glasses, goggles, or other headgear and/or within the passenger compartment of a moving vehicle, such as in the pillars, headliner, roof, sidewalls, doors, seats, floor, dashboard, console, windows or areas traditionally used as windows, and the like.
Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. The description and specific examples in this summary are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.
Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.